The Journey of a Voice the Elderly Gentleman Whose Picture You See Is a Member of Ananda Yaan Byculla Centre
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Vol. 59 No. 42 • April 24, 2018 • Pages 8 President’s Pick Dear friends, The Journey of a Voice The elderly gentleman whose picture you see is a member of Ananda Yaan Byculla centre. His name isn't important. His story is. When he joined Ananda Yaan some seven months back, he had difficulty walking and could barely see with one eye. A couple of weeks back he went to one of our Rotaryannes and told her that after the yoga sessions, he can actually see a bit with that eye, and he feels like dancing to the music that is played there. He attended a music show at Chembur where a couple of donors had chipped in to buy 50 tickets, hire a bus and provided dinner to our elders. I am absolutely certain that there would no way to explain all this in a medical way. But guess what. There's no need to do it. Happiness is a wonderful thing. hould it not be assumed that a speaker, given It makes you feel alive again. It's made our elderly gent feel alive again. And that's what's important. That's what a keen audience, a good thirty minutes to Ananda Yaan is all about. Sspeak, and a buffet lunch at the Taj Mahal Hotel, is a little too complacent about the honour Making people happy. if he begins his speech by saying, “I will be a little And please speak to the Ananda Yaan Committee short because I have to catch a flight to Delhi”? members. In making these poor elders happy, they are pretty happy people too. So gift some happiness and experience the happiness yourself. Dilip Doshi on ethics in both : More and more people are coming forward to celebrate Today's Speaker Cricket & Business events with Ananda Yaan. They are gifting vouchers at Big Bazaar, temple visits, In this Issue new saris, visits to music shows and movies. Echo Coverage .......................................................................4 Yes they are gifting happiness. Try it. You'll love it. ANANDA YAAN - Big Bazaar & Satsang .............................5 Swanky Computer Lab for BY NMJ Marg ...........................6 BY at Republic TV! ..................................................................7 Warm regards Ramesh Narayan Next Week’s Speaker .............................................................8 THE BULLETIN OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF BOMBAY APRIL 24, 2018 1 For the last Tuesday speaker, was already a successful English Ameen Sayani, that assumption broadcaster in his teens, but could only be made if he had then came the assassination of not been a freedom fighter, had Mahatma Gandhi. “It broke my not been the voice of Binaca heart and my mind. I swore that Geetmala every week from 1954 I would become a Hindustani to 1993, or if his was not the broadcaster to fulfill Gandhiji’s first voice on radio to enthrall vision.” The latter’s vision was to 210 million people. The fact make Hindustani the national that he is now 85 years of age, language of India. still catching planes to fulfil assignments across the world, Although the speaker’s efforts only gives us the pleasure to in realising Gandhi’s vision assume that his journey is far had already begun as a writer from over. for RAHBER - a Hindustani Rtn. Suhail Nathani introduces the guest speaker fortnightly started by his mother However, when his journey before Independence - he and a lot of influence of did begin back in 1952, he was eager to broadcast in the English.” The man who would confesses, “I was not very good national language. So he head later be king of Indian radio was at spoken Hindustani, because over to the All India Radio shattered. I had studied Gujarati and headquarters, and made his English.” Surely that is hard to desire known to the officials. It was only a matter of time believe considering that he is They allowed him to audition, before luck struck: His brother primarily known as a Hindustani but rejected him because his Hamid Sayani, a successful broadcaster, but there is a Hindustani pronunciations had English broadcaster, allowed backstory to that: Ameen Sayani “a lot of influence of Gujarati, him to tag along to his 2 APRIL 24, 2018 THE BULLETIN OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF BOMBAY recordings with Radio Ceylon. speaker had a wild idea, and At one of these recordings, the Binaca Geetmala was born. In commercials announcer did his own words, “For all of Rs. not show up. Any guesses for 25, I was required to select who filled in for the missing the songs, produce, script, broadcaster? Yes, but what you and compère the programme will not be able to guess was - and also sort the mail. Ameen Sayani’s payment for his The programme involved a first broadcast in Hindustani: competition and we expected “A small tin of herbal tea.” 40 to 50 letters. The first Nevertheless, it was something episode brought 9,000. Within - a great way to improve his a year, that number touched spoken Hindustani. 60,000. We had to shelve the competition and introduce a Not too long after he landed countdown show.” Hon.Secretary Rtn. Manish Reshamwala makes a the job as Radio Ceylon’s few important announcements commercial announcer, another Radio Ceylon used the opportunity came his way. Radio mini-transmitters that Lord Ceylon, to their Hindustani Mountbatten’s military broadcasts. But who would have broadcasters, made the command left behind after known that their Hindustani ridiculous offer of scheduling India’s independence. After broadcasts would garner a a Hindustani broadcast on the getting their Tamil, English and better listenership; Who would condition that it was produced, Sinhala broadcasts in place, have known that the journey scripted, and compèred by the officials never gave much of one voice would get the the same person. Our Tuesday importance to Hindustani attention of the entire world. ROtarians MAKING Waves PP Ashish Vaid was elected Vice President of Indian Merchant's Chamber (IMC). His 100 watt smile will help Rtn. Suresh Kotak being honored by the Cotton Association illuminate the IMC even of India more. THE BULLETIN OF THE ROTARY CLUB OF BOMBAY APRIL 24, 2018 3 Echo Coverage Written by Rtr. Jahan Chandelia Echo, those 4 letters, those 4 Narayan (President of the Rotary months, those final 4 days, there Club of Bombay), Rtr. Om Chawla are no words which can describe (District Rotaract Representative), this project. It all started with the Rtn. Hussain Rassai (District Youth organizing committee meeting at Service, Avenue Chair) to name a ISME for something, a something few. The anchors, being Rtr. Satyam which would awaken another side Kesarwani and Rtr. Gotham Tikyani of their soul, a something, which for the evening invited the President would make them family. These of Roatry Club of Bombay Rtn. leadership sessions mentored us in Ramesh Narayan, to speak. an imaginable way. Meeting every week got us closer than ever. Rtn. Ramesh Narayan described the energy of the students present Then all of a sudden, we were in the auditorium as 'raw' and was brought into the real world and the impressed with the performance small bubbles of the luxurious lives of the students. He inspired all the we lived were burst. The Slum Visits, students to continue the association when the mentors of Echo actually with Echo and went into the slums to help those keep helping Special kudos to Freyaz Shroff others without families in need, they came back and Rashna Cooper for their with a different mindset. Something expecting efforts in making Echo a success. in all of our hearts changed that anything in day. return. The 200 participants was extremely grateful to the Didi’s Then came the final 5 days, that came and Bhaiyas who encouraged her at The Final Frontier. All students from Municipal every step and also to Echo, through who participated in Echo schools across which she learnt a lot only in five came from Municipal Schools Mumbai days and got a platform to showcase or very underprivileged and walked the her talents. disadvantaged government aided ramp for the schools. Everyone thought they first time in their lives. The students Echo not only helped the municipal were prepared for it, but when were very excited to walk the ramp school students but also the students the wave of participants hit us, and it was a great confidence booster from the organizing committee. everyone melted. The way they for them to walk in front of so many Rtr. Swara Shettigar and Rtr. Jahan grasped, acknowledged and people. After the ramp walk, the Chandalia shared a few words worked together was astonishing, sixteen semi-finalists, who were on how Echo taught them many they ended up teaching us much chosen a day prior from all the 200 valuable things. The winners were more in those 4 days then we participants were asked unknown given laptops and a hamper from Dr. taught them. questions by the judges. Batra's. Apart from this, all the 200 participants received a stationary kit Then came the final day of Echo, While the scores were being to help them in college. The students an initiative of the Rotary Club of calculated, the hard-working and the organizing committee Bombay along with the Rotaract organizing committee that were found in tears as they had Clubs of District 3141 to bridge constituted Rotaractors from various developed a strong bond with each the education gap between the colleges walked the ramp too. An other over the course of the five public and private sector education, after movie of Echo 2018 was shown, days of Echo and they were not it took place at the K.C.College which brought both the students ready to part ways.